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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

A Silver Medallion - James R. Callan, Author

Callan's
Oatmeal Cookies

Start
with

¾ cup of butter

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

In
a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, brown sugar,
baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ground cloves and beat until mixed and
smooth.

2 eggs

1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla

Now,
mix in the eggs and vanilla until well mixed and smooth.

Next,
if you have a good mixer, use it.
Otherwise mix by hand.

1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour

2 cups of rolled oats

After
all of the above is well mixed in, then add and mix only enough to distribute
the nuts and cranberries.

1 cup pecans or walnuts

1 cup of dried cranberries or
Craisins

Use
a teaspoon to put small mounds of dough on a cookie sheet and bake in a 375
degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Some like the cookies softer and some like
them crisper. You decide, or make a pan
of each.

This
will make about 5 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie you
bake. If you have a large enough mixer, you can double this
recipe, cook half of it and put the remaining batter in a tightly covered
container in the refrigerator. Then, you
can bake the rest tomorrow, yielding hot, fresh cookies on both days, with only
one mixing. Happy eating.

Crystal's grandmother stood under a maple tree. Eula Moore was staring at the small storage shed about twenty feet behind her house. She aimed a double-barreled shotgun at the door of the building. "Don't make no sudden moves. I got a nervous trigger finger. I might just blow your head off." Nothing moved. "Now, very slowly, come on out in the open, and keep them hands over your head where I can see 'em." Crystal crept up beside her grandmother, "What's in there, Nana?" she whispered. A few moments passed. Then a single finger came into view. Gradually, it turned into a whole hand, waving in a small arc. "Por favor, no dispare." The tiny brown hand fluttered again. The voice quavered slightly, "Please. No shoot. No shoot."

Crystal Moore was paying her grandmother Eula a visit at her home "The Park." Finding her Nana standing in a defensive stance with a shotgun pointed at one of the buildings wasn't what she had expected to walk into. She also wasn't expecting the troubles that followed the discovery of a young Mexican woman hiding inside that building.

Rosa was her name. She had been smuggled across the border to serve as what Crystal called a 'slave' to one of Dallas' most prominent men. And to keep her under his control she is told that her husband will be killed if she talks to anyone or tries to run.

In Crystal's attempt to help Rosa as well as others in this same situation, she finds herself in the heart of Mexico where family members of those enslaved are being held. This task is one that could cost her her own life as well as the lives of those close to her.

If you want a twisting road ride, you'll find it in A Silver Medallion. I thought the first book in this series 'A Ton of Gold' was good. This second book in the Crystal Moore Suspense Series has taken it a step further. My word to Author James R. Callan is "hurry up and give me book 3!"

A Book Review

"This book is made up of 3 individual stories. All three are short reads and other than the setting, which is Mexico, all three are completely different."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"You'll follow Logan as she tramples through kudzu, goes to her first Testicle Festival, rents a room from a woman who runs around at night in the nude and connects with a wolf. You will also follow her as she gets her man, or should I say men."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"Will the people of Hollow Gap pull together and defend themselves from the Indian up-rise or will they fall apart. Find the answers to these questions and more when you read this book of taming the West through love."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"I would NEVER have guessed the turn of events that make up the last 20 pages of Fresh Frozen. The hiring of the spy will surprise you and the murder will surprise you even more. So if you love a good mystery, this book is definitely for you."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"As I read I felt as if I was a witness watching this evil man do the things he did to these young women. As I read through the trial I felt like one of those ready to convict him. As I listened to the comments by his wife, I could feel her pain and confusion."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"After reading Breaking My Silence I saw Jane as a strong person who was determined to do whatever was needed to get her children back into her life and to do whatever it took to make her life as complete as possible without the prostitution. This was one of the most informative books I've ever read about a subject that is normally kept behind closed doors."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"
While reading Genesis Beach I found myself not wanting to put it down. Each page had a piece of evidence that would help me solve the mystery before Logan. I really thought I had pin-pointed the murderer. Boy was I in for a shock."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"I've enjoyed reading this book. It's a cross between a "fiction" and a "true crime." So if you enjoy either genre you will enjoy A Study in Red. Do keep in mind that this book is very descriptive."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"The story captured me from the beginning, the evil of Rovella never ceased to amaze me, and the love that was always there but didn't surface due to guilt made me feel the pain that I'm sure she felt. The ending was perfect."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"This has been a really enjoyable book.
I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Beth, don't change your way of writing! I've really enjoyed reading Basket Case and will be reading more of Beth's books."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"I feel this is a wonderfully written book that would be helpful not just for young people who are overweight but also for those who look at a person, no matter the age, call them names, shun them and refuse to accept them as they are."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"Bertha Speaks Out is a very enjoyable book to read. Bertha finds herself in positions that will make you laugh and cry. You will feel her pain but also feel her pride when she stands up for what is right. It’s a must read for children as well as adults.
"
(Martha A. Cheves)

"Read Thicker than Water and ask yourself these questions. Did the wife make the right choice? Was her decision worth 15 years of her family’s life? Would you have made the same decision?
I highly recommend Thicker than Water. As I said, it was a joy to read."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"As I read I kept asking myself “Who would put out a hit on David and why?” “Who are The Chosen Few and what do they have to do with David?” “Will Max get to David before it’s too late?” You will have to read The Chosen Few yourself to find the answers to these questions."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"This book has taught me that life is like a chain. Everyone we meet becomes a link in our chain. Some links may be weak, but the strong ones keep the chain from breaking. And as memories and secrets are shared with those strong links, they become even stronger."
(Martha A. Cheves)

Kaw River Kitchen Mystery (Make sure you read the story behind this dish which will be at the end of book review) (A premium chil...

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